Highlights
- •YouTube is an important educational and information tool.
- •YouTube videos have the potential to influence a patient's decision-making related to her/his disease.
- •YouTube videos do not provide reliable and high-quality information related to MS for patients.
- •Patients should always verify information obtained from the Internet with information sources that are more reliable.
Abstract
Background
YouTube (YT) has grown into the largest online video platform across the world. Known
to have more than two billion users of all ages, YT also serves as an important educational
tool and information source for patients and their families. YT videos have the potential
to influence patients’ understanding of their diagnoses and treatment decision-making.
Methods
Videos were identified using the keywords “multiple sclerosis,” “multiple sclerosis
treatment,” “relapsing remitting MS,” and “central demyelinating disorder” in the
YT search bar. For each search term, the top 30 videos were reviewed. The videos were
analyzed by two independent raters using the DISCERN and Global Quality Scale (GQS)
scoring systems. Qualitative and quantitative data were recorded for each video.
Results
A total of 99 videos were analyzed. The mean DISCERN score was 43.44 out of 75 possible
points, and the mean Global Quality Scale (GQS) score was 2.77 out of 5 possible points.
Of all the videos, 14.1, 29.3, 15.2, and 29.3% were categorized as very poor, poor,
moderate, good, and excellent, respectively. Videos that included qualitative features
such as clear information; information related to symptomatology, etiology, diagnosis,
treatment, treatment response, and epidemiology; and diagrams and radiological images
had significantly higher scale scores. Audience engagement parameters were significantly
higher for videos containing animation, treatment response, and radiological images.
Conclusion
We maintain that sufficient, reliable, and useful content is not provided for those
seeking information on YT about MS. Everyone seeking information about MS should always
verify information provided in YT videos using more reliable sources of information.
Video producers should optimize their videos to contain high-quality and reliable
data and to attract larger audiences.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 06, 2022
Accepted:
July 2,
2022
Received in revised form:
June 27,
2022
Received:
June 13,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
